John Cullen

John Cullen's primary research interest is in the field of Responsible & Sustainable Management Learning and he is involved in several research and teaching projects in areas covering Sustainable Futures, Climate Action & Enterprise Development, Data Governance, and Workplace Discrimination. His most recent book, Business, Ethics and Society: Key Concepts, Current Debates and Contemporary Innovations was published by Sage in 2022.

He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Management Education and an Editorial Board member of Human Relations and Academy of Management Learning & Education. He is also a member of both the working and steering groups of the Climate Action & Economic Opportunity project, which is part of Irish Government's Climate Action Regional Offices initiative.

He was promoted to Professor in October 2022 and is currently serving as Interim Dean of Graduate Studies at Maynooth University. In this role he leads the development, expansion and quality assurance of the university's graduate education portfolio. He chairs the Graduate Education Committee of Academic Council and is a member of the Academic Programmes Committee and Research Committee. He is a member of the Irish University Association's (IUA) Deans of Graduate Studies group. He is also the Director of Postgraduate Teaching & Learning in the School of Business.

In February 2023 he concluded a four and a half year term as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Social Science. He has also recently served a three year term as Director of Undergraduate Teaching & Learning at Maynooth University School of Business. In December 2021, he concluded a two-year term as a member of the British Academy of Management Council, and the BAM Research & Publications Committee.

John Cullen’s current research explores how managers and organisations learn responsible management, ethical leadership and sustainable change practices that help their business grow, while contributing to environmental and social sustainability. His work explores the skills and competencies required by businesses from managers, existing staff and new graduates in order to help them meet the challenges posed by climate change, social responsibility and new ways of working. He is Co-Principal Investigator and Maynooth University lead on the 'Sustainability in Enterprise: Delivering a Low Carbon Future' HCI Pillar 3 project which is a cross-institutional collaboration with University College Cork and IT Sligo which was awarded nearly €4 million in funding in late 2020.

He is also interested in the intersection of religious faith and contemporary workplaces and is involved in projects examining workplace religious discrimination and the changing role of chaplains.

Please email john.g.cullen@mu.ie for information about current projects underway in these areas.

John's research has addressed topics such as ethical leadership, responsible organizational change, ethical competencies for information and data work, sustainability and whistleblowing. He has conducted fieldwork with finance, healthcare, educational, sustainability, local government staff and information management professionals. His work has been published in Human Relations, Work, Employment & Society, the Journal of Business Ethics, Culture & Organization and the Journal of Information Science amongst others.

John Cullen lectures on business ethics, sustainable business and responsible management. His teaching practice is informed by his research on responsible and sustainable management learning and education.

He has secured funding from the Higher Education Authority to design, develop and deliver a micro-credential professional certificate in sustainable business and responsible management, and is the Maynooth University lead and Co Principal Investigator of the Sustainable Futures project.

He also co-edited two Special Issues of the Journal of Management Education on experiential learning in large classes. The first of these (published in June 2021) was on the topic of student engagement with experiential learning in large classes. The second, on teaching perspectives on experiential learning in large classes was published in October 2021.

He has also taught modules on management, organisational behaviour, organisational change & development and leadership at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education levels.

Current PhD Student Supervision

Alison J. Sheridan 'Preparing Leaders for the Sustainability Transition' (Co-supervising with Dr. Emmanuel Kypraios, Maynooth University School of Business).

Elaine Smith 'Financial Perspectives on Sustainable Food Production in Irish Agriculture' (Co-supervising with Dr. Michael Hayden, , Maynooth University School of Business).